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Mizzou Alumnus Wins $30,000 on 'Mizzou Tigers' Ticket

A self-described Mizzou “junkie,” John “Ray” Perez of Cape Girardeau became the first Missouri Lottery player to claim a top prize on the new $2 “Mizzou Tigers” Scratchers ticket.

“I don’t typically play that often, but when I saw that there was a new ‘Tigers’ ticket, I thought I would give it a try,” recalled Perez, 42, while claiming his prize. “I’m an alumnus and the president of the Cape Girardeau Alumni Association. I’m a bit of a Mizzou junkie.”

Perez, an engineer, purchased his winning ticket at Bi-State Southern Convenience Store, 920 N. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau, while buying a soda, and later uncovered his $30,000 prize while waiting for his car at the car wash.

“I had to call my girlfriend because I wasn’t sure what exactly I was looking at,” continued Perez. “At first I thought it was $30.”

While claiming his prize, the father-of-two admitted that one of the perks for him playing the new ticket was the chance to win a 2017 football season ticket package through the accompanying “Tiger Ticket Giveaway” second-chance promotion. While he has one less non-winning ticket to enter into the promotion, Perez was more than happy to take home a $30,000 prize to share with his family and possibly invest in his own Mizzou football season tickets.

With his first top prize under his belt, Perez believes he will play the Lottery a little more frequently in hopes of taking home another top prize or a second-chance promotion prize.

Introduced on Aug. 29, “Mizzou Tigers” is a $2 Scratchers tickets offering players prizes ranging from $2 to $30,000. More information about all Promotions and Scratchers games can be found at MOLottery.com.